I've put up a few photos before hand and have been told some of my ance could be caused by shaving. I just use a simple electric razor, that's it.

I want to know what I could do to change it so it won't give me acne in those bits, and what products do I buy?

And for a note, I'm currently using a benzoyl peroxide acne cream, so I don't want anything to get in the way of that.

For starters ditch the electric razor it cuts the hair on an unnatural angle and cant get out of the hair follicle causing break out/razor rash etc.Use a Biotherm Homme Shave Foam or Aramis Lab Series Foam and follow you own unique pattern of facial hair growth WITH the grain NEVER AGAINST!This will basically clear it over night.Hope this helps.Cheers

I've put up a few photos before hand and have been told some of my ance could be caused by shaving. I just use a simple electric razor, that's it.

I want to know what I could do to change it so it won't give me acne in those bits, and what products do I buy?

And for a note, I'm currently using a benzoyl peroxide acne cream, so I don't want anything to get in the way of that.

For starters ditch the electric razor it cuts the hair on an unnatural angle and cant get out of the hair follicle causing break out/razor rash etc.Use a Biotherm Homme Shave Foam or Aramis Lab Series Foam and follow you own unique pattern of facial hair growth WITH the grain NEVER AGAINST!This will basically clear it over night.Hope this helps.Cheers

I'll go look for a new razor, only problem is ... I have no idea how to shave with a non-electric razor, hm. And I'll see if I can get that type of foam, does it matter what type of shave foam I get? or are there certain types of shaving foams to avoid if you have acne?

Ok here is how you shave without an electric razor.
1.Cleanse face 1st. Look at your beard growth and you will see a pattern to your beard growth, this will be important later.
2.Leave your beard wet. The hair will sit away from the face once you get the shave foam on it
3.Apply shave foam[try and get one thats not full of fragrance and detergent. Aramis make a good one]
4.Follow the beard growth, DONT GO AGAINST THE GRAIN just follow the direction the hair come out of the follice.
5.Rinse off foam etc.
6.Pat skin dry, never drag a towel across your face.
7.Apply moisturizer.

You should be good to go.
Any questions just send me a message.
The acne.org has a section on shaving on the main site somewhere.

Sorry for all the info, just really want to make sure thats all good really nervous about shaving with something else and putting stuff on my face.

Question1: Now that I'm gonna be using a blade shaver, how do I make sure I won't cut the pimples, because 1. I got them in that area, 2. I have a really sore red one and it's itchy and sore? I don't want to leave marks or anything PLEASE help.

Question2: How often do I do this? and will it interfere with my Benzoyl peroxide treatment, say for eg. I apply shaving foam, then shave, then wash off, and then use my face wash and use my benzoyl peroxide cream, is that OK and would it interfeir? PLEASE help.

EDIT: OR could I just use my avene acne face wash thing when i shave? is that just as okay? please answer. thanks

I say go with a double-edged safety razor. I found that to be the best. Least amount of irritation. Takes a lot of time and practice and you'll need a styptic pencil on occasion, but it's the best way to shave (and the cheapest).

I used Aveeno Therapeutic Shaving Gel. It won't make you break out and is gentle on the skin. I lather with a badger hair brush and then shave. At most I'll do two passes, after that I often cut myself.

After the shave I lightly cleanse, apply acne medicine and then moisturizer. Don't cleanse before the shave, the oils will assist in the shaving process. Also best to shave after the shower and wet your face a lot. Oh, and rinse with cold water at the very end. Soothes the skin and closes up any small nicks you get while shaving.

DO NOT USE CLEANSER FOR A SHAVING CREAM. You want a gentle shaving cream that is nice to your face, the cleanser is meant to dry you out and remove your oils, etc... not what you want when shaving. I think Dan suggests using it to boost sales or something.

And remember when you shop for shaving products: no fragrances. Those will often irritate and make you break out. Best to do a lot of research on this site and others.

Just to throw a spanner in the works.... I'd choose an electric shaver over a wet shave....

I used to shave with a razor and the combination of (at best) greasy shaving foam and the actual shaver taking the heads of scabs/spots made my skin terrible and irritated. I've been using an electric shaver for a couple of years and never regret it. I don't have to think about which foam to use, I dont have to wet/wash my face anymore than I have to, I don't get shaving cuts or break scabs.

I shave before a shower on the lowest level, obviously this wont give as close a shave as a razor but hey bit of stubbles is sexy anyway. Wash off any hairs in the shower and forget about it, alot less stress

Another spanner in the works.
The Gillette foam should be fine.
U will just have to bite the bullet and shave over any break out.
The cleaner the skin the better the shave.. I would suggest cleansing 1st [Everyone is different & my beard is thick as can be]
The Wetter the beard the closer the shave.
Also let your beard just grow out.
Unless you have to shave for work everyday.. I shave about once a week.

And after you shave just leave the area free of BP.
You have already exfoliated by shaving you don't wanna double exfoliate.
So just rinse and use what ever moisturizer you are using.

Kind of surprised at the responses here. I really feel for the OP; this thread exemplifies how hard it is to filter information regarding acne. Everyone has a different idea, and often these ideas conflict.

I find that when applying products to my face, a very close, clean shave is helpful. This prevents the hair blocking any of the product from reaching my skin and doing its job. Hair can also be quite oily and dirty, and it definitely holds some of the grease from moisturizers. Applying products is simply easier and more effective when there is no beard to combat. I very firmly believe that a close shave has been helpful for me and my solution. Not to mention, many studies conclude that women rate clean-shaven men as more attractive than their scruffy counterparts. Sexy scruff may be occasionally true anecdotally, but on the macro scale, it is a myth.

So if your goal is to shave as close as possible with the least amount of irritation, wetshaving is the only way to go. The Mach3s are a very popular way to accomplish this, though they can be expensive. Be sure to care for and replace your cartridge regularly. I think that the Mach3 is a good choice. It is quite easy to learn, you will pick it up quickly.

That said, I also agree with MikeX10A. I am planning to switch to shaving with a double-edged safety razor once I pick one out (any recommendations there, bud? Looking at the EJ DE89 mostly...). It's the most cost-effective method by leaps and bounds (seriously, hundreds of dollars cheaper per year), and I've heard it gets you a very close shave. The other advantage would be that it's easier to maneuver around your acne spots. Being that there is only one blade on your face at a time, it is a much finer and more dextrous tool. The disadvantage is that they are hard to find in retail stores (have to buy online or vintage) and they are apparently more difficult to learn.

So if you can't find one, I still think going with a Mach3 is your best bet. Good choice.

For the last few weeks, I've been using Jojoba oil as shave oil (apply right before shaving cream/soap/oil). I think it does help to reduce irritation, and also might have health benefits for my skin. I'm sure there are better shave oils than this, so I may investigate that. For shave soap, I do still use the acne.org cleanser like a lathering shave soap. I try to shave quickly to keep it from overdrying me. I use it mainly because I have it available, it's cheap, and I know I will not have an averse reaction to it. I would like to switch to a real shave cream such as the Aveeno one eventually. Cost and choice have kept me from doing that as of yet. I currently shave with a 5 blade Gillette knock-off cartridge razor, but as I said before, I am planning to switch to something a little less irritating.

Some basic wetshaving shave tips that I had to learn myself: shave after a hot shower, never dry. Make sure you get your beard warm and wet. Skip wetshaving if you absolutely cannot take a shower. Shave with the grain of your beard to reduce irritation, ingrown hairs, difficulty, and pain. "With the grain" might not always be down, either. Around my jawline, my beard grows practically counterclockwise, which can be a pain. Try not to use much pressure on your razor, either. If you have time, shave multiple times to get closer. This is called doing multiple "passes" with your razor. It definitely takes more time, but multiple passes with very little pressure will give you better results with less irritation than one go with a lot of pressure. Don't go overkill, though. Twice is plenty, three times is max.

And after you shave just leave the area free of BP. You have already exfoliated by shaving you don't wanna double exfoliate.

It's true that over-exfoliation can contribute to acne. However, BP does not exfoliate. So you do not need to worry at all about that. If you have acne, it is a good idea to use the BP as advised post-shave.

Shaving is probably the part of my "regimen" that I am most unsatisfied with and unsure about. I hope you find something that works for you. Best of luck.

Just to throw a spanner in the works.... I'd choose an electric shaver over a wet shave....

I used to shave with a razor and the combination of (at best) greasy shaving foam and the actual shaver taking the heads of scabs/spots made my skin terrible and irritated. I've been using an electric shaver for a couple of years and never regret it. I don't have to think about which foam to use, I dont have to wet/wash my face anymore than I have to, I don't get shaving cuts or break scabs.

I shave before a shower on the lowest level, obviously this wont give as close a shave as a razor but hey bit of stubbles is sexy anyway. Wash off any hairs in the shower and forget about it, alot less stress

What he said (almost word for word). Some people love electrics and some people hate electrics. I do agree that using a DE is much better than any other wetshaving method out there. One pass and call it a day. Going for the baby butt will more than likely cause you issues. I would also tell you that some (probably most) electrics are horrible. You have to try a few (rotary and/or foil, everyone's different). I know they all chewed up my face until I tried the Braun 360 (I use a Series 7 now). The Braun's also have a nice cleaning system that will disinfect the shaver after every single use. I would start there if you have any doubt. Spendy? Yep. Is your face worth it? Yep.

I say go with a double-edged safety razor. I found that to be the best. Least amount of irritation. Takes a lot of time and practice and you'll need a styptic pencil on occasion, but it's the best way to shave (and the cheapest).

I used Aveeno Therapeutic Shaving Gel. It won't make you break out and is gentle on the skin. I lather with a badger hair brush and then shave. At most I'll do two passes, after that I often cut myself.

After the shave I lightly cleanse, apply acne medicine and then moisturizer. Don't cleanse before the shave, the oils will assist in the shaving process. Also best to shave after the shower and wet your face a lot. Oh, and rinse with cold water at the very end. Soothes the skin and closes up any small nicks you get while shaving.

DO NOT USE CLEANSER FOR A SHAVING CREAM. You want a gentle shaving cream that is nice to your face, the cleanser is meant to dry you out and remove your oils, etc... not what you want when shaving. I think Dan suggests using it to boost sales or something.

And remember when you shop for shaving products: no fragrances. Those will often irritate and make you break out. Best to do a lot of research on this site and others.

Aveeno shaving gel has a lot of crappy chemicals in it.

''I'm not clever, but I figure if I ask all the questions, somebody else might have all the answers'' - Quote, Me!